Page 768 - GREAT EXPECTATIONS

Great Expectations

‘And you have all to-morrow, Tuesday, to rest in,’ said
Herbert. ‘But you can’t help groaning, my dear Handel.
What hurt have you got? Can you stand?’
‘Yes, yes,’ said I, ‘I can walk. I have no hurt but in this

throbbing arm.’
They laid it bare, and did what they could. It was
violently swollen and inflamed, and I could scarcely
endure to have it touched. But, they tore up their
handkerchiefs to make fresh bandages, and carefully
replaced it in the sling, until we could get to the town and
obtain some cooling lotion to put upon it. In a little while
we had shut the door of the dark and empty sluice-house,
and were passing through the quarry on our way back.
Trabb’s boy - Trabb’s overgrown young man now - went
before us with a lantern, which was the light I had seen
come in at the door. But, the moon was a good two hours
higher than when I had last seen the sky, and the night
though rainy was much lighter. The white vapour of the
kiln was passing from us as we went by, and, as I had
thought a prayer before, I thought a thanksgiving now.
Entreating Herbert to tell me how he had come to my
rescue - which at first he had flatly refused to do, but had
insisted on my remaining quiet - I learnt that I had in my
hurry dropped the letter, open, in our chambers, where

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